Lost and Found
by s.Two
Summary: When Syaoran finally decided to confess his feelings, Sakura is getting ready to leave. Syaoran must hurry. Like sand in an hour glass, time is running out. SS... I thought Li Xiao Lang doesn't cry. Li Syaoran does


Hello. Ok this is my other one shot; this just came to me all of a sudden! It's called "Lost and Found" It's, of course, SS, starring our favourite couple! It's a one shot so I hope you guys like it. And for those of you who follow my other story "There will be Hope" I'm hoping I will update soon, and those of you who don't know the story, please check it out, I know it doesn't start off with Sakura but I promise it's a SS story. Anyways, hope you like this one.

**Summery: When Syaoran finally decides to confess his feelings, Sakura's leaving. Syaoran must hurry. Like the sand in an hour glass, time is running out. SS **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Cardcaptor Sakura, CLAMP owns it, and I think that might be a good thing…**

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_Chapter 1: Let it rain_

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Li Syaoran tapped his shoes impatiently on the cement floor, his backpack lying carelessly beside his tapping foot. His amber hair shone in the afternoon sun and his bright amber eyes surveyed the empty school yard.

_Damn, where was she?_ He wondered.

He had successfully escaped 5 minutes early from his Gym class, in hopes of "accidentally" meeting someone. But that was half an hour ago. He paced up and down the side walk, the sun continuing to beat down from the sky. He wanted to wait for her to come, he wanted to see her walking down in her uniform, her auburn hair shimmering and flowing like a river of gold down her back, he wanted to see her emerald eyes shine and light up when ever she saw him.

He hated to admit it, but it was true. Li Syaoran, ice king, having many girls swoon over him with just one glance from him, had fallen for his best friend. It was funny how fate liked to play with him. Of all people, his best friend was the one he had chosen to fall for. He near chuckled, recalling the very first day he had set foot here at Fuji High.

_Syaoran watched the chalk coldly as it drew out the letters of his name on the dark chalk board._

"_This is Li Syaoran everybody, he's from Hong Kong and is new here. I expect you to be courteous." The teacher spoke out to the class. The population of the class (actually… more of the female population) listened rapt in attention to the teacher-or rather… at Syaoran. He growled, why he had agreed to his mother that moving to Tokyo would be a good idea, he did not know. He didn't know what possessed him to agree in the first place!_

"_Can I have someone show him around the school?" the teacher asked, immediately more than half of the population of girls raised their hand, except for one sitting by the window, apparently reading with no apparent interest in the boy that stood in front of the room._

"_Miss Kinomoto, will you show our new student here around the school?" the teacher asked, at once the girl's head snapped up and Syaoran found himself to be drowning in the vibrant emerald pool that had locked onto him. The rest of the girls lowered their hands in disappointment, some going as far as shooting envious looks at her, which she chose to ignore. Standing up "Miss Kinomoto" came forward._

"_Hai." She said, "My name's Sakura. It's nice to meet you." She said once they were outside. Syaoran nodded politely, not exactly trusting his voice at the moment. The two continued down the hall in silence, Sakura speaking up here and there to point out areas in the school._

"_How do you think of Tokyo so far?" she finally said, trying to put together a conversation lasting more than 5 words. Syaoran shrugged,_

"_Ok I guess." Sakura's mind was about to explode, does this guy talk at all? _

"_If you're not comfortable with me showing you around I can get the teacher to switch someone." She finally offered, thinking the whole problem resulted in her. Syaoran did a double take._

"_No! I mean, no it's not you, it's just I'm not exactly familiar with the new surroundings, I've been in Hong Kong all my life." He responded. Sakura gave a tinkling laugh and it sends pleasant chills down his spine. The two continued to chat about everything that came up, homework, family and the places they've grown up at. Soon it was lunch and the empty hall ways filled with students. A bunch of frilly girls with bright black hair and make up that seemed to have layers upon layers walked up to him. Syaoran noticed Sakura stiffen slightly and paced faster, making Syaoran having to almost jog to keep up with her. The two found themselves surrounded with the group of girls._

"_Hello. Are you new here?" one of the particularly bold girls said, moving annoyingly close to him, batting her eye lashes. Syaoran nodded, not talking. "If you want _I_ can show you around, no need for Kino-weirdo." The girl said meanly, casting a cold stare at Sakura. Syaoran glanced at Sakura at the corner of his eye, her head was bent down like the first time he had seen her in the classroom, her whole body seemed to be shaking. _

"_No thank you. I'd rather hang myself than to spend a minute with you." Syaoran stated coldly. The girl looked rather taken back, her face etched with hurt, but not moving away, as Syaoran was hoping. Growling, he grabbed Sakura's hand and held it tightly in his and pushing through the mass of girls, managed to get himself and Sakura out of the mess. Sakura looked up at him again with those alluring emerald eyes, a small smile played on her lips._

"_Guess you're not mute after all." She joked slightly. Syaoran gave a small smirk and she feint a gasp "he can smile! Ladies and Gentlemen I think we have broken through to him!" Syaoran actually gave a soft laugh before his eyes turned dangerous,_

"_You have 5 seconds to run." And she did, with amazing speed._

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"You seem deep in thought." An angelic voice rang into his ear, snapping him of his day dreaming. Syaoran composed his posture, only to meet the very same emerald eyes that made him feel hot even in the dead of winter.

"Do you remember the day we first met?" Syaoran asked mischievously. Sakura let out a tinkling laugh,

"How could I not?" she laughed, "I got bruises on my bum for at least a week." She stated accusingly. Syaoran shrugged innocently,

"It's not my fault you can't concentrate on running and looking out for objects that can trip you at the same time." He stated. Sakura huffed, sticking out her tongue at him. _She's so childish._

"Are you or are you not going to be a gentleman and take my back pack and walk me home?" Sakura joked, "You did stay to wait for me, right?" Syaoran laughed, lifting his own backpack at the same time taking Sakura's.

"No, I decided that it would be fun to bake myself in the sun," he responded sarcastically. He found it easier to hide his nervous face with his sarcastic response. His heart, though he had 5 minutes to calm it down, was beating painfully against his rib cage. Blood pounded in his ear as he tried to think of ways to make him sound casual. He was going to do it; he was going to admit he had fallen for his very best friend. His mind continued the nagging feeling, battling over the consequences. _If you say it, and if she rejects you, your friendship is as good as over. _But was it really worth it to risk their years of friendship? If, and just if Sakura did refuse him, their friendship would be torn, it was better to at least have a type of relationship, then to have none at all.

But as he gazed down at her, her hair swishing back and fourth, her face glowing, he couldn't help but to allow his heart give a tug, his stomach bursting with butterflies. He couldn't help but think there could be a slim chance that the glowing face would be his.

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Sakura couldn't help but steal silent glances at the silent partner next to her. He was so wonderful, so kind, so gentle, so nice, so handsome, so… everything, he was everything that simply made him… _him_. She was a loner at school before he came. Her only friend, Daidouji Tomoyo had left earlier for England to visit a distant boyfriend and to help her mother expand her toy factory. So she was left, abandoned, until he came in his silent and cold demeanour. She would've never guessed that they would be here, best friends. Best friends… but she wanted to be more than just 'best friends'. She knew this was wrong, but she had fallen for her best friend. A part of her wanted desperately to confess to him, but the other part, the stronger part, kept on preventing her, listing out consequences, one of them was putting their friendship at stake. No matter what, Sakura will not risk their friendship for anything.

She watched his eyes burn beneath the sun, those eyes, those cursed eyes, the way they just trap her inside their fiery cage was too much. Every time she stared at them she would melt, every time she was trapped in them, she would promise him the world.

"So, what did the Principal want with you?" Syaoran asked casually as they approached her street.

"Nothing much, he wanted to see if I would like to represent the school in gymnastics." She said.

"You should, you're awesome." Syaoran stated, envisioning her slim body doing summersaults.

"But it's all the way in China and if I make it I have to stay there for at least 3 years." Sakura spoke softly. _Do you really want me to go?_

3 years… he had to live without her for 3 years? That was impossible; take her away for a week and he'd die. Sakura watched him carefully at his shrewd expression, unable to read him.

"Well, do you-do you want to go?" Syaoran finally spoke in an oddly strained voice. Sakura stayed silent, her mind screaming at Syaoran for being so dense. _Can't you tell? Don't you know that all you've got to do is tell me not to go and I won't, I'd give up everything, all you need to do is ask,_

"It's… It's a really good opportunity." Sakura finally said. "But there are certain things I'd miss here as well." Sakura subtly hinted, hoping he would get the message.

"Like having to beat me up just to get me started on my work." Syaoran joked. Sakura gave a weak smile. They were standing in front of her house now.

"Thanks Syaoran." Sakura said softly, taking her backpack from him. Syaoran shrugged, as if to say 'no problem'. Unexpectedly, Sakura hugged him tightly, squeezing her eyes shut. Syaoran stood paralyzed, until his arms automatically rose up and hugged her back.

"See you… see you tomorrow." Syaoran said softly, inhaling her strawberry scented hair. Sakura sniffed,

"Bye." She muttered, before releasing him and going into her house.

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Sakura immediately ran up the stairs, not even bothering to call for her brother. She gazed out from her room window, watching Syaoran's silent silhouette fade away. A tear escaped from her eye, she had purposely left out the most important information the principal had told her.

_Your plane leaves at tomorrow at4 in the afternoon._

Walking to her desk, Sakura took out a scented pink pen and a piece of forest green paper, she began to write.

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_Stupid, stupid, stupid! Are you a man or not?_

His mind screamed at him for his stupidity, for his stubbornness, for his fear. He had missed his chance at telling Sakura his true feelings, and now she might have to go away for 3 years. She would meet someone in China, fall in love, get married and be happy, and he would have to smile like nothing's hurting him for the rest of his lonely life.

"You're a coward Li Xiao Lang, you are." He muttered to himself. His heart wrenched in pain, thinking of Sakura, watching her leaving for three years and watched himself become a memory of her past. Water started to fall from the sky and onto his face, making him speed his pace, for a split second, Syaoran felt like crying. He stubbornly shook his head, shaking away the feeling.

_Li Xiao Lang does not cry._

Grunting, he started into a run, which became a furious sprint. His anger fuelled him all the way back home. When he entered, he didn't bother acknowledging Wei, his old butler and guardian, instead, he stomped upstairs, where his room door slam shut with a snap.

He fell onto his green covered bed, his energy having run out and feeling both physically and emotionally tired. He was such a coward. He could say anything, everything to her, but when he approached the 3 words, his throat would tighten and not a word would escape. He couldn't even think it without his heart beating fast. He opened his eye, glancing at one of the picture on his nightstand, a picture of him and Sakura last year in spring, in front of a large cherry blossom tree they had dubbed 'their place'.

He would do it, he thought to himself, gathering his courage. He would tell her directly as soon as school was over after school. He'll tell her he loved her, yes, he loved her, he'll tell her no matter what she says, what she does, he will stay by her side, forever. Yes, he loved her.

His eye fell down, covering his eyes, yes, he'll tell her. He loved her.

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Sakura set the pen down onto her table, looking at the peace of paper sceptically, what was the point in righting this? It's not like she was going to send it to him. Shaking her head, she placed the envelope in her backpack, she would go to school early tomorrow, to avoid everyone else and pack and empty her locker that stood beside Syaoran's. Her face fell into a sad smile, yes Syaoran, she was a coward, she knew, but she couldn't help their friendship, not for the sake of something that will never happen.

_Syaoran,_

_I know by the time you read this, I will be gone. Honestly I had no idea how hard this would be to write. I thought this would be the best way, to express myself in writing rather than in person, you know me, how clumsy I am._

_Remember the day when you had gone out with this girl? Remember how snappish I was and how unhappy I was? I told you the girl would make you unhappy, and it turned out to be true, but I guess that really wasn't my reason of wanting to split you up with her._

_Syaoran we've been together for so long it's like I've known you since you were only a child. I know this may break whatever bond we have now, which is why I wrote this._

_I guess my real reason of wanting you to split up with her was because of jealousy. –Laugh- I know, it's so ridiculous, _I'm_ jealous. It's a feeling I can't help to feel whenever a girl other than I to come near you. I don't ever want you to leave my side. I love you, 3 words I've kept inside for so long. I'm sorry I had to leave, but it is for the best for you, for me. Maybe it is time for us to go our own way, and though I know I'll never feel the same way about anyone like the way I feel you, I want you to know you'll never leave my mind. I love you, I really do._

_I love you with all my heart,_

_-Sakura_

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At 8, Sakura arrived at her school, opening her locker for the last time; she painfully took off the pictures of her and Syaoran over the years, when her locker was empty, she took out the letter she had written last night, with Syaoran's name neatly written on the front of the envelope. She shook her head, she must be crazy. Gently placing the letter in her locker, knowing no one will ever find it, she closed the locker, before heading out, the locker door slightly opened, giving a tiny view of its hollow inside.

At 9, students piled in, never noticing one of their numbers was missing.

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At 3, the end of the school bell rang.

Syaoran arrived at his locker, looking around to see the familiar tresses of auburn hair bouncing their way over to him. He couldn't find her anywhere today, she usually had cheerleading practise in the morning, but he couldn't find her in the gym either. He looked at the locker beside him, seeing its door slightly opened. Confused and curious, he opened it to find it completely empty except for a small, forest green envelope addressed to him. Half consumed by worry and half consumed by curiosity, he gingerly picked up the letter, and opened it, the smell of strawberry assaulting his nose.

His eyes flew through the paper, each word making his heart stop, his blood run cold, his eyes widen. Throwing the piece of paper behind his back as he rushed off, the scented paper fell to the floor, a smudged spot clearly indicating that someone had recently left a tear drop on the paper.

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Touya Kinomoto looked at his sister through the mirror, watching her exquisite emerald eyes reflect the flashes of passing cars. He could tell she was sad, she wasn't talkative, she wasn't excited she had a chance to finally shine in the place she called school.

"Are you sure about this kaijuu?" Touya said casually, throwing in her nickname, half hoping she would blow up on him. Sakura sighed,

"I'm sure Touya." She whispered, still looking out the window, water droplets began to fall.

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Syaoran ran and ran, he had left his backpack by his unlocked locker, and he knew that anyone could be going through his stuff right now, but he didn't care. Not when he finally had the courage to confess to her only to find her leaving. He should've noticed something was going on when they had walked home the other day.

"_But it's all the way in China and if I make it I have to stay there for at least 3 years." Sakura spoke softly._

He should've seen the pain on her face, which he could now see so clearly.

_Syaoran we've been together for so long it's like I've known you since you were only a child. I know this may break whatever bond we have now, which is why I wrote this._

He checked his watch, it read 3:15. The airport was all the way on the other side of town, and it took him at least 45 minutes to get there.

_I guess my real reason of wanting you to split up with her was because of jealousy._

He couldn't believe she would be jealous. After all the time where boys would secretly take a glance at her, he felt like he could murder, and all this time she had been jealous, over him no less. Rain started to fall down onto him, only to get stronger. Syaoran cursed his luck, speeding up.

_I don't ever want you to leave my side._

Syaoran ran blindly across the road, the sign having turned red. A car stopped immediately in front of him, inches from colliding.

"Oy! Watch where you're going! I could've killed you!" a man said angrily, sticking his head out the window. Syaoran didn't respond, resuming his running. "Kids these days, they think they can do anything." The man muttered irately.

He was not going to leave her side, not before, not later, and definitely not now.

_I love you, 3 words I've kept inside for so long._

How long exactly had she been keeping it in, a day, a week, a month, a year maybe two? He checked his watch, not completely drenched from head to toe, but didn't care. His watched flashed 3:30. He only had 15 minutes left to get to the airport.

_Syaoran ran towards the office as fast as he could, just finishing reading the letter, the door slammed opened, the secretary looked at him._

"_Mr. Li honestly there is no need for the door to be slammed opened." The secretary told him annoyed. Syaoran stood his ground,_

"_I want to know when Kinomoto Sakura's plane is leaving." He said coldly. The secretary flinched, _

"_I believe that is none of your business." The secretary said curtly. Syaoran growled his eyes turned menacing. _

"_Tell me." He said more coldly. The secretary shivered under his glare, her fingers quickly flipping through the pages._

"_4. Tokyo airport, plane 401-" the door slammed close._

Sakura looked at the flashing red clock while Touya checked her in. 3:40. She knew she needed to be on the plane by 3:45. By the time security checked her luggage and passport, it will be time to go. She couldn't help but hope, just a tiny bit, Syaoran had found her unsent letter. That maybe he had read it, and was rushing to get her. But glancing at the pouring rain outside, she knew she shouldn't hope. Touya tapped her on her shoulder, holding out her ticket.

"Let's go." She said, heaving her carryon bag, leaving one last glance at the entrance. She didn't notice a drenched figure in navy getting closer and closer.

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3:43. Syaoran finally entered the airport, his hair was wild and damp and people were giving him weird glares but he didn't care. His eyes were looking through the air port, searching for his target. Running, he searched around the place, in hopes of finding her.

_Plane 401 is now departing._

Syaoran stopped right at the entering gate, his breath hitched. He didn't make it. He looked down at his watch. 3:55. He had missed her, he didn't make it. He lost her…

Touya recognized the man in navy. It was that Chinese gaki that always accompanied his sister. He looked sympathetically at him; he wished Sakura had changed her mind. A small hand gripped his arm when he started toward him.

"Let him be." The person said before disappearing among the crowd that had gathered around Syaoran.

Syaoran's heart wrenched painfully. He had lost her, he had lost her and now he won't get her back. He breathed angrily, pounding his fist on the ground, angry at himself.

_Why couldn't you have told her? Why were you so afraid?_

"I'm sorry." He whispered painfully.

"Why?" a person said. He looked up, his heart stopped. _Sakura…_ "S…S-Sakura?" he said hoarsely, bringing himself up. Sakura looked up at the dripping wet man. Syaoran grabbed her arm, pulling her to him and crushed her in an embrace. Sakura didn't care if he was wet, nor if she was getting wet, she hugged him back. Pulling apart, she looked up at him,

"Why?" she asked again. Syaoran tilted her chin up, lowering his lips down to hers. It wasn't like her head was about to explode, nor was it like a thousand fire works were blasting inside her head, liked the girls in her school said. Instead, it was soft and gentle and warm. It wasn't rushed; it was a desperate show of passion and of love. This kissed for what seemed like an eternity, until oxygen became a vital matter. Separating, Sakura closed her eyes breathlessly.

"Why?" she whispered, her arm still around him. Syaoran brushed away a stray strand of hair.

"Because I love you." He whispered, gently kissing her closed eyelids. Sakura shook, tears falling from her closed eyes, Syaoran cradled her face, wiping them away from her face.

"I love you." She whispered, "God damn it I love you!" she shouted, hugging him again. The whole crowd around the air port broke into applauses.

_Plane 401 has now departed._

Syaoran looked down at her.

"Aren't you upset you won't get your prize?" he asked her. Sakura looked up at him, here eyes glistening,

"What are you talking about? My prize is right here." She spoke. Syaoran smiled, a tear rolling down his cheek. Sakura brushed it away with a gentle touch,

"I thought Li Xiao Lang doesn't cry." She spoke, smiling. Syaoran smiled with her, leaning to kiss her once more.

"Li Syaoran does."

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A/N: Ok my new one shot! I loved this story; it was such an enjoyment to write. So sweet and fluffy! I hope you guys like it, look out for my update on There will be hope.


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